Christmas photo C&C

[rgregory1965]

My Grandaughter.....Took this tonight Love the selective red

 

[MLeeK]

The selective color makes the kid kind of disappear in the iamge. It's all about the ornaments, bow, dress...
The composition has some issues with major distractions, not really a headshot, but it's cut off like a headshot. The child almost feels like an extra in the image.

Selective color can work, but when you use it it takes all of the focus off what is in black and white and puts all of the emphasis on what is in color. Not what you want to do here.

 

[AMOMENT]

Selective color is done in pp right?

 

[KmH]

I agree with what MLeek has said. Selective color can work, but not very often. I suggest leaving her skin and hair in color too.

Plus, we all tend to look where other people are looking.

She is looking out of the frame, and we do too, right out of the photo. Had she been looking at the camera.......

There are some shades of tone in the photo close to a light burgandy.

Post the original.

 

[KmH]

Selective color is done in pp right?

Yes.

 

[rgregory1965]

Im sure this is prbly the right way but im not so sure I like that.....only some skin is colored....just kinda looks weird to me....

 

[rgregory1965]

What about number two

 

[thereyougo!14 2]

What about number two

In number 2 the children look very detached from the background. Hve you pasted them into the background? I say this as the lighting on them is very even, perhaps too even, and is very different to the lighting on the tree. Sorry but neither does very much for me

 

[bazooka]

They are very blue in #2... white balance is off. Also, the strong vignette isn't working at all. It's very distracting and appears to be a lens malfunction. If you use vignette, IMO it shouldn't stand out, or in this case, punch me in the face. Finally, the shot is just too busy, all the ornaments and details in the tree take away from the kids. Get them away from the tree a bit and use a longer lens to get that stuff out of focus while keeping the same framing.

 

[MLeeK]

The composition is definitely better in #2, but the color is off, the cutting of his arm is a real draw, there is a lot going on and they are out of focus.

 

[KmH]

Im sure this is prbly the right way but im not so sure I like that.....only some skin is colored....just kinda looks weird to me....

Just a quick demo, but yes it looks weird, but perhaps not a weird as yours.

Humans are hardwired from birth to look at faces, which is why faces automatically become focal points of photos that have people in them.